Khichadi (pronounced kich-ah-ree) is an Indian comfort food that features rice and lentils. This recipe also calls for a variety of spices that will fill your kitchen with a wonderful aroma! This hearty dish is not short on ingredients, so please see Notes below for time-saving variations.
Kichadi (Indian rice and lentils)
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6 to 8 (makes about 9 cups)
Ingredients
- For the rice and lentils:
- 3½ cups water
- ¾ cup dry/uncooked brown basmati rice
- ¾ cup dry/uncooked red lentils
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (these are spicy; optional)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- For the vegetables:
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1½ teaspoons finely chopped garlic (about 2 medium cloves)
- 1 teaspoon finely grated or chopped fresh ginger
- 3 cups water
- ½ pound Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into ½-inch chunks (about 1½ cups)
- 1 medium yam, cut into ½-inch chunks (about 2 cups)
- 2 ribs celery, sliced (about ⅔ cup)
- 1¼ cups cooked peas (if frozen, thaw a little with warm water)
- 4 cups coarsely chopped greens (I like curly kale)
Instructions
- Bring the water, rice, lentils, and spices (cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, turmeric, cardamom, and cloves) to a boil in a soup pot over high heat, uncovered. Reduce the heat to low, then cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
- About 15 minutes before the rice and lentils are done cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of water in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the water starts to sputter, add the onion, and cook while stirring for 3 minutes, adding a little water, as needed. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook while stirring for 1 minute.
- Add the 3 cups of water, potatoes, yams, and celery to the frying pan, and return to a boil, uncovered. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then cover and cook for 7 minutes. Stir in the peas and greens, then cover and cook for 3 minutes more, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Stir the cooked vegetables into the pot of cooked rice and lentils.
Notes
If you don’t want to bother with all of the individual dried herbs and spices (cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, turmeric, cardamom, ground cloves), you may replace them with 2 to 3 teaspoons of your favorite curry powder.
If you’re not in the chopping mood, you can also make a meal of just the lentils, rice, and herbs and spices after cooking them all together in step 1.
If you’re not in the chopping mood, you can also make a meal of just the lentils, rice, and herbs and spices after cooking them all together in step 1.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: ⅛ recipe, 1.5 cups Calories: 196 Fat: 1.3g Saturated fat: 0.1g Carbohydrates: 39.9g Sugar: 4.5g Sodium: 52mg Fiber: 6.0g Protein: 8.8g Cholesterol: 0
If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please share a comment below or on my Facebook page. If you’d like to print this recipe, use the green “Print” button near the top-right of the recipe. Learn more about the Straight Up Food Cookbook here. Thank you!
I like your variations and ideas here… the kale and the celery, for example. I’ve been making kichadi for a long time and I love it. It’s almost impossible to mess up and great for lazy evenings. I have to admit I slip some oil in at the beginning to lightly fry and prep the spices.
This is my new favorite dish. Thank you so much for the recipe.
I love how thick and rich it is. It can be eaten as is, in a pita for lunch, on top of a salad, over rice, whatever – it is so versatile. And the flavors are incredible.
Yay! Thanks Victoria! 😉
Could this be made in the slow cooker? If so, directions please.
Hi Tammy, I’m thinking yes, but I’ve never done it. Give it a try and let me know how it goes. I’d just put it all in at once and let it cook. Maybe hold out the kale though, as it may be totally overcooked. And I’m not sure how rice cooks up in a slow cooker, but google it and see if anyone’s done it and how. 🙂
I made the Kichadi in the slow cooker today and it was awesome. I had some cooked brown rice in the freezer so I added that with all of the other ingredients except the peas and kale and set the slow cooker on high while I went to work. When I came home, I added the peas and some cilantro instead of kale and served it with some naan. Next time I will cook on low and add the rice at the end too. What a nice comforting meal to come home to, thanks for the recipe.
If I was going to use uncooked rice, do you think that I would still put it in at the end?
I’m not sure what you mean; the rice step is #1 and calls for uncooked rice.
This is fabulous! The combination of seasonings create an intoxicating aroma. I can’t remember the last time the kitchen smelled this good. What a perfect, hearty, warming, fragrant dish for a dark and rainy day.
I was not terribly impressed with this recipe. I will try it again and tinker with the spices more. I did not have ground cloves on hand, but other than that I made the recipe exactly as directed. I ended up adding additional curry powder in my left overs, and it needed more than the 1/4 tsp chili flakes. I couldn’t taste any fire in this at all. Anyone have suggestions for how to spice this up a bit more?
Hi Nicole, I tend toward the less spicy in my cooking and tastes, but feel free to add type and amount that suits you. I would look at some Indian recipes and see what spices they use and what amounts and experiement. 🙂
This was also good good when I adapted to exclude nightshades (I.e., no potato, no red peppers). A lovely dish – thank you!
I made this today and I am totally excited. It tastes much like the dishes I’ve had at Indian restaurants,! My husband and I both loved it.
Hi Cathy – I’m going to try this next week. I don’t have red lentils on hand but I do have green split peas and French lentils. Do you think either of them would substitute well?
Hi Sheila, sure! Those would work. They take a bit longer to cook though, so just adjust the timing a bit. 🙂 Here are some cooking guidelines.
Made this tonight for supper. As some have mentioned, the flavors are fairly subtle but delicious! What a wholesome and satisfying meal. Lentils, rice and vegetables! I used French lentils I had on hand instead of red lentils. Another small variation I a made was to add a little fresh squeezed meyer lemon juice to it at the very end. Probably a teaspoon or less. It tasted great without it but I like to add something acidic in a curry dish. Will definitely be making this again, but next I’m on to the Cuban Black Bean burgers!
Thank you for your web site and recipes! I really appreciate the measurements/ounces for things like “one medium potato”. I have tried many of the recipes and haven’t found one I don’t like. I always come here when I have to make a dinner for a group. I just made this recipe and it is DELICIOUS! However my result was much more watery than pictured above (from the onion/potato mix). I’m letting it simmer to see if i can cook out any of the water but wonder what I did wrong?
I’m making the dish right now and I’m wondering if the water used to cook the potatoes, onions, peas and greens is NOT supposed to be added along with the veggies to the rice/lentil mixture. The recipe is not clear on that, but it seems like the spices would be terribly diluted and the mixture very watery if I include that cooking water.
Nice site and recipes! With most recipes, I replace the grains with quinoa. It’s perfect with the Kichadi.
This recipe is amazing! I add more garlic and my whole family loves it. Thank you Cathy.
Any idea of the calorie count I added mine up and only came up with 1240 calories for the entire pot. Just seems it should be more but I am new to plant based eating and calorie counting. Lol
It was delicious btw
Hi Nicole, I came up with the total recipe being 1080 calories (with all ingredients cooked), and 180 calories “per serving” (1.5 cups). 🙂
Cathy,
I am only 1 person and although I don’t mind leftovers, I really don’t want to eat this for an entire week. I am not crazy about the consistency of rice after it is frozen. Can I scale down the recipe to one half ? Thanks !
Hi Linda, sure! 😉
What a delicious dish, Cathy! I made it for the first time yesterday and my husband and I both love it. Thank you for another fabulous recipe! (I hope this is going in the book.)
Kris
Thanks Kris! 😉
they say this is a healing dish
is this true?
Can you pressure cook this recipe. I have an Instant Pot. How much water, less or more??
I’ve never tried it, but I’m sure it could be done. Not sure about the water; maybe fine a similar pressure cooking recipe online and see how much water they use. I’m still new to pressure cooking, so am not sure. 🙂
I usually make this dish with yellow split peas which you need to soak overnight first. And I use cumin & coriander seeds instead of powder, lightly smashed. I never thought to add additional veggies but will definitely give it a try.
I make just the lentil and rice part of this recipe to take as work lunches. I add some kale at the end for some greens. When I heat it up in the break room, everyone asks what smells so good! This is an incredibly versatile dish. One day I was at home recovering from a stomach virus. I really wanted some soup, but there was no soup in the house… Even in my foggy state I was able to whip up the lentils and rice with all of the spices (except the hot pepper). It was just the thing. This is a great recipe when you have no idea what to make for dinner or if you REALLY do not feel like cooking. I never get tired of it.
Great idea, thanks Jackie! 😉
Hi Cathy. After reading/seeing this Indian dish and reading the comments, I cannot wait to try it. But what is the white garnish topping in the photo?
It’s grated cashews (using a rotary cheese grater). 🙂
Thank you for responding to my question!!
So delicious!! My whole family really loved this dish! I thought it was absolutely perfect. My kids added a little salt and really enjoyed it. Thanks for another winner recipe!!
Thanks so much, Melanie! 😉 Love to hear the kids enjoying the food!
Cathy, should the vegetable cooking water be added to the rice/lentil mixture at the end along with the veggies??
Hi Linda, yes, that is how I do it; but if it seems to liquid-y, you can drain some of the veggie cooking water off before combining the cooked veggies with the cooked rice. 🙂
It is beautiful and I love all the veggies, but I find the seasoning somewhat. bland, so I will be adding more of the spices next time I make it. Thank you!
Please feel free to increase the spice amounts, or change them to your tastes. I tend toward mild-medium in spiciness, since I don’t like things too spicy myself. 🙂 Thanks Linnea!